Pages

Monday, 21 January 2013

Danish Kaneria seeks help from PCB in his appeal hearing issue

Pakistani Test leg-spinner
Danish Kaneria is now looking towards the Pakistan Cricket Board to step
in and help him after his appeal hearing in London has been delayed
since December. Sources close to Kaneria, who is presently in London
waiting for a fresh date for the hearing on an appeal against the life
ban imposed on him last year by a disciplinary panel of the England and
Wales Cricket Board from playing in England because of his links with
bookmakers.

The panel imposed the life ban on Kaneria based on a confessional
statement made by Kaneria's Essex teammate Mervyn Westfield who claimed
that he was introduced to an Indian bookmaker by the leg-spinner who
induced him into corruption during county matches in 2009. But after
December 10 was set by an appeal panel of the ECB to hear Kaneria's
appeal petition, Westfield has, for inexplicable reasons, avoided
attending the hearing

"There are different reasons being given out for Westfield not being
able to attend the appeal hearing. He didn't show up on December 10
after which the legal team for Danish said the appeal hearing couldn't
proceed ahead without the presence of the main witness of the
prosecution," said the leg-spinner's brother Vicky. When contacted in
London, Kaneria said he couldn't speak on the issue as it was subjudice
as per advice of his lawyers.

"We are just waiting for a fresh date for the hearing and Westfield
showing up," he said. A source close to Kaneria in London said that he
had contacted the PCB and informed them about the situation.

"The five member appeal panel formed by the ECB to hear the appeal is
also in agreement that without Westfield they can't move ahead as the
defence lawyer has every right to cross question him and inspect his
earlier statements and evidence," one source said. "Danish has asked the
PCB to help him out by speaking to the ECB and pressing them to make
Westfield available for the appeal hearing," the source said. (PTI)